Opinion
No. 06PDJ041
June 21, 2006
People v. Sparkman. 06PDJ041. June 21, 2006. Attorney Regulation.
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved a Conditional Admission of Misconduct submitted by the parties and suspended Respondent Susan Kay Sparkman (Attorney Registration No. 21416) from the practice of law for a period of thirty-days, all stayed upon the successful completion of a one-year period of probation, with conditions, effective July 22, 2006. Respondent represented a client in a dissolution-of-marriage action who paid her $6000.00 in retainer fees. Part of the representation required Respondent to draft a Qualified Domestic Relations Order in order to finalize the dissolution. Respondent never drafted the order and her client eventually had to retain another attorney to prepare it. Respondent neglected a legal matter, failed to account for client funds, and failed to respond to requests from the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. Respondent's misconduct constituted grounds for the imposition of discipline pursuant to C.R.C.P. 251.5 and violated Colo. RPC 1.3, 1.4, 1.15 and 8.1.